Moisture deflector

ABSTRACT

There is provided an improved moisture deflector for use in wall construction of the type including a vertical mullion defining a frame pocket and interconnected horizontal members. The horizontal members are secured to the vertical by means of a shear block attached to the vertical mullion. A filler member snaps or secures to the vertical mullion and defines a glazing pocket for glass or other panels. A moisture deflector is positioned at each end of the horizontal structure member and extends over the upper end of the glazing pocket so as to direct moisture between the frame pocket and the filler member.

Sept. 8, 1970 I I J. w. HEMMINGER 3,527,012

MOISTURE DEFLECTOR Filed April 14, 1969 'INVENTOR JAMES W. HEMMINGER ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,527,012 MOISTURE DEFLECTOR James W. Hemminger, Buchanan, Mich., assignor to American Metal Climax, Inc., New York, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Apr. 14, 1969, Ser. No. 815,633 Int. Cl. E06b 7/26 US. Cl. 52-665 2 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE There is provided an improved moisture deflector for use in wall construction of the type including a vertical mullion defining a frame pocket and interconnected horizontal members. The horizontal members are secured to the vertical by means of a shear block attached to the vertical mullion. A filler member snaps or secures to the vertical mullion and defines a glazing pocket for glass or other panels. A moisture deflector is positioned at each end of the horizontal structural member and extends over the upper end of the glazing pocket so as to direct moisture between the frame pocket and the filler member.

The present invention relates to an improved wall construction, and more particularly, to an improved moisture deflector for use with a wall construction.

Commercial structures are known wherein vertical mullions are provided defining vertical extending frame pockets for receiving snap-in faces or filler members. Intermediate horizontal members may be provided interconnecting adjacent vertical mullions. In certain types of commercial construction, the horizontal members butt against the vertical mullions, and are secured thereto by any suitable means such as with shear blocks fastened to the vertical mullions. Glass or other panels fit within the glazing pockets of the floors, and on the horizontal members, being locked in place with suitable glass stops.

Difficulty has heretofore been experienced with moisture collecting in the glazing pocket defined in the horizontal members, such moisture running along the surface of the horizontal members and following the edge underneath the horizontal member, dropping loose in the glazing pockets of lower panels and eventually working its way to the interior of the building. Thus, it would be desirable to direct moisture from the glazing pocket into the space formed by the vertical mullion and filler where it may run down the open vertical channel of the mullion and be directed to the exterior of the building.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved wall construction which overcomes the above-mentioned difliculty.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved wall construction.

Still another object of the present invention is the provision of a new and improved moisture deflector for use in a building wall construction.

Still another object of the present invention is the provision of an improved moisture deflector which would direct moisture from the glazing channels of a wall construction to the space between the mullion and filler thereof.

In accordance with these and other objects, there is provided an improved wall construction of the type including a vertical mullion defining a frame pocket, a shear block attached to the vertical mullion, and an intermediate horizontal member connected to the vertical mullion by means of the shear block. Filler members are positioned in the frame pockets to define suitable glazing pockets receiving glass or other panels.

3,527,012 Patented Sept. 8, 1970 In accordance with the present invention a moisture deflector is positioned at one end of the horizontal structural member extending over the outer ends of the glazing pockets in the filler to direct moisture between the frame pocket and the filler member. Advantageously, the moisture deflector may be formed of flat sheet metal having long and short sides, adapted to be folded so as to conform to the shape of the deflector to either end of the horizontal mullion, and in one embodiment containing slots receiving the vertical flanges of the frame pocket to position the deflector.

For a better understanding of the present invention, reference may be had to the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a typical wall construction employing a moisture deflector according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the wall construction of FIG. 1, taken along line 22 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 3 is an exploded view illustrating some of the components of the wall construction of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view illustrating assembly of the moisture deflector to the shear block of a vertical mullion;

FIG. 5 is a developed view of the moisture deflector;

FIG. 6 is a perspective of the moisture deflector for the end of the horizontal mullion as illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 4; and

FIG. 7 illustrates a moisture deflector folded in the complementary direction for use at the other end of a horizontal structural member.

Referring now to the drawings, and particularly to FIGS. 1 to 4, there is illustrated a wall construction in accordance with the present invention and formed of a plurality of vertical mullions 10, only one of which is illustrated in the drawings, and interconnecting horizontal members 12. The horizontal members 12 in the illustrated embodiment each include a frame member 13 and an interlocking glass stop 14. Moreover, each of the horizontal members 12 is fitted to the respective mullion 10, and is secured thereto by a shear block 16, fastened to the mullion 10 in any suitable manner as by screws 17. The horizontal member 12 may be secured to the shear block 16 in any suitable manner, as with the screws 35.

The mullion 10 in the illustrated embodiment is of generally I-shape, having inwardly facing flanges 18 to define opposed frame pockets 19. The filler 22 may be snapped between the flanges 18, and to this end is provided with suitable interlocking edge components 23 and 24. The illustrated filler 22 is provided with an inwardly extending glazing pocket 25 having opposed gasket channels 26. The glazing pockets 26 are adapted to fix glazing gaskets 27 to secure glass or other panels 28.

The interlocking parts of the horizontal member 12 also define a glazing pocket 30 provided with opposed gasket channels 31 for securing suitable glazing gaskets 32. The glass 28 normally would rest on a suitable setting block 33 in a manner known in the art.

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a moisture deflector 40 positioned on the shear block 16 for directing moisture collecting in the glazing pockets25 and 30 to the frame pocket 19 outside of the filler 22, as best illustrated in FIG. 2. Specifically, the moisture deflector 40 is formed of flat sheet metal, generally rectangular in its developed form, as illustrated in FIG. 5. Thus, the deflector 40 defines a pair of long sides 40a and 40b, and a pair of short sides 40c and 40d. The short sides 40c and 40d have opposed inwardly extending slots 42 to receive a pair of flanges 18 of the frame member, as illustrated in FIG. 4. Additionally, the short ends 400 and 40d include one or more pairs of slits 43 defining score marks for folding a flange 44 along the inner end of the deflector 40. Additional slits 45 may be provided intermediate the slits 43 to further define score marks and facilitate in bending or folding of the flap 44. Moreover, the outside edge of the moisture deflector 40 includes additional slits 46 and 47 and the inner edge 40a includes cuts 48 and 49 extending inwardly a distance equal to the spacing of the slits 43 and 45 to permit folding of the flange 44. Thus, the deflector 40 may be folded along its score marks to conform to the shape of the shear block 16. Moreover, the deflector 40 may be folded with either side of its surface up, as illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7, thereby adapting the deflector for use on either end of the horizontal member 12.

FIG. 4 illustrates the assembly of the moisture deflector 40 onto the shear block 16. Specifically, it will be noted that the slots 42 fit or receive a pair of inwardly opposed flanges 18 of the mullion 10. The flange 44 of the moisture deflector forms a drip edge extending beyond the glazing pocket 25 of a lower filler 22, as illustrated in FIG. 2. Preferably, a strip of mastic or other sealing compound 51 is positioned on each side of the moisture deflector 40 to prevent the creepage of moisture along the underside of the horizontal member 12 or between the deflector 40 and the shear block 16.

It will be understood that the moisture deflector 40 is effective to prevent moisture accumulating in the glazing channels 25 and 30 from moving along the lower surface of the components, or from dripping into the glazing pocket 25 of a lower filler member. Thus, such moisture can only move outwardly to the end of the deflector 40, and down the flange 44 thereof. The flange 44 serves as a drip edge and directs moisture collecting thereon into the space of the frame pocket 19 formed by the mullion 10 and filler 22, so that such moisture can pass down the mullion 10 to the bottom of the mullion where it will be deflected outwardly of the building.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent of the United States is:

l. A wall construction including a vertical structural member defining a frame pocket, a shear block attached to said vertical structural member, a horizontal structural member having one end overlying and connected to said shear block, a filler member in said frame pocket below said horizontal structural member defining a glazing pocket, and a moisture deflector positioned at said one end of said horizontal structural member extending over the open end of said glazing pocket to direct moisture between said frame pocket and said filler member.

2. A wall construction as set forth in claim 1 wherein said deflector includes downwardly extending flaps defining drip edges extending into said frame pocket.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,706,543 4/1955 Karnmerer 52-455 X 3,037,593 6/1962 Webster 52-476 3,147,518 9/1964 Horgan 52455 X 3,371,454 3/1968 Anderson 52665 X 3,451,183 6/1969 Lespagnol et al 52--456 X HENRY C. SUTHERLAND, Primary Examiner S. D. BURKE, Assistant Examiner U.S. C1. X.R. 52-97, 456, 476 

